Clamping device



Jah. 29, 1946. E. SCHMIDT A 2,393,659

CLAMPING DEVICE original Filed April 29, 1940 INV ENTOR.

fa @ne mzdz? l BY E i t 2 E Patented Jan. 29, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLAMPING nevica p Eugene schmidt, oak Park-,111., assigner to Charles O. Moore opiginelapplicatipn April 29, 1940, serial Nm 2 claims.

his application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 332,232, i'lled April 29, 1940, now Patent No. 2,318,017, issued May 4, 1943.

This invention relates to clamping devices such as, but not limited to, those employed for mount- .,.ing feet on ladders, tripods and the like which in service may rest on non-planar or inclined as 'well as level surfaces.

It is an object of my invention to provide novel means by which a foot or other device may be 332,232. Divided and this application Febrai'y securely clamped on ladder legs or the like of various cross-sectional dimensions.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

My invention will be better understood upon reference to the .following description and accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a ladder equipped with a clamping device in accordance with my invention, the ladder being shown at an exaggeratedV inclination.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the upper part of the same.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary rear elevation taken as indicated by the line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view taken as indicated by the line 4--4 in Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, there is shown at I5 by way of example a ladder equipped with means for clampingly securing to the rails IB thereof anti-slip devices I9.

Each device I9 may comprise a metallic or other bracket 2| adapted to lie against the outer face 22 of the associated rail |8 and provided with spaced upper and lower sleeves 24 and 25 which receive a preferably metallic rod 21 threaded at 28 throughout a substantial portion of the length thereof. An adjusting nut 3|] between the sleeves 24 and 25 and threaded about the rod 21 and knurled or provided with wrench holes 3| is rotatable by hand or a tool to adjust the rod up and down. The rod is preferably slidably keyed or other suitable provision is preferably made to prevent rotation of the rod. For example, the sleeves 24 and 25 may be provided with grooves or keyways 32 and 33, respectively, and pins or screws 34 and 35, respectively, may be secured to the rod 21 so that the heads of the pins are slidable in the respective grooves. The arrangement is such that at no time are both pins disengaged from the grooves, thus insuring prevention of turning of the rod at all times. Moreover, the nut provides an abutment engageable by the pin 34 to limit the downward movement of the rod 21, and also engageable by the pin 35 to limit the upward movement of the rod 21.

The rod 21 terminates at its lower end inIA a ball 3B providing universal supportfor a foot 31.

The securement of the bracket 2| on rails of different sizes forms a feature of my invention. To this end I provide, preferably adjacent each end of the bracket, lugs 13 preferably non-rotatably receiving nuts 14 on bolts 16 extending through said lugs, said bolts also extending through and clamping ears 11 of clamp members 18 against the front and rear faces 80 and 8|, respectively, of the rail. VEach member 19 has another clamping ear 82 at a right angle to the ear 11 and engaging the bracket 2|. A like pair of clamping members 19a having corresponding ears 11a and 82a is similarly disposed with respect to the other corner portions of the rail. A bolt 84 clamps each pair of clamp ears 82 and 82a against the bracket 2| and opposite face 85 of the rail, and another bolt 81 clamps the ears 11a against the front and rear faces 80 and 8| of the rail. It is evident from the drawings and the foregoing description that the clamp members and bracket are so dimensioned that they may be securely clamped to rails of different cross-sectional sizes and at any desired positions along the rails. The clamping faces may be knurled or otherwise roughened to securely grip the rails.

A plurality of clamp mechanisms may be employed, as shown with one adjacent each end of the bracket 2|, or otherwise. The bottom of the bracket 2| is preferably provided with a ange to abut the bottom 9| of the rail I8, and with a reinforcing boss or lug 93 projecting into a complemental recess or opening 94 in the bottom 0f the rail.

Various modifications may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention, and, hence, I do not wish to be restricted to the specific form shown or uses mentioned, except to the extent indicated in the appended claims, which are to be interpreted as broadly as the state of the art will permit.

I claim:

1. A clamping device comprising means for securing a supporting member to a rail, said means comprising a pair of elements at opposite sidesof said member, each element having a jaw engageable with and extending beyond a face of the rail, a bolt passing through the extended portion of said jaw and connected to said member for clamping said jaw against said face, whereby the opposite faces of the rail are clamped between said jaws with said member disposed adjacent an ntervening side of the rail, another pair of said elements adjacent the opposite intervening side of the rail and having similar jaws with extensions, a single bolt passing through the latter extensions, each of said elements having a second and similarly formed jaw, the jaws of each element being displaced from each other so that they do not intersect, one pair of the second jaws being adjacent the outer'surface ofsaid member, the remaining pair of the second jaws being adjacent said opposite intervening side, and a bolt connecting one jaw of each of the last two pairsto a jaw of the other of the last two pairs, all of said bolts being adjustable to clamp rails of c iiifre'rent' side and edge dimensions between said 'member 2. A clamping device comprising means forsegand the various jaws.

curing a supporting member to a rail, said means t comprising a pair of elements at opposite sides" of said member, each element having a Jawen# gageable with and extending beyond a face of the rail, a bolt passing through the extended portion of said jaw and connected to said member for clamping said Jaw against said i'ace,

. one jaw-of each of the last two pairs to a jaw of the other of the last two pairs, all of said bolts being adjustableto clamp rails of different side and edge dimensions between said member and the v various jaws, said bolts connecting one jaw of each of the last two pairs to a jaw of the other of the last two pairs being substantially dis- 20 `placed, lengthwise of the rail, from the other bolts.

EUGENE SCHMIDT. 

